Revision NotesExam Questions
IBBiology: SLDPExam Questions1. Cell Biology1.1 Cells: Theory

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

|

Cells: Theory (DP IB Biology: SL)

Exam Questions

2 hours35 questions

Select a question set to download for
1.1 Cells: Theory

Select an answer set to view for
1.1 Cells: Theory

Easy
Medium
Hard
11 mark

Which of the following options is not a source of stem cells? 

  • Umbilical cord blood

  • Bone marrow

  • An embryo

  • Blood plasma

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

2
Sme Calculator1 mark

The electron micrograph below shows a plant cell. 

The scale bar (measuring 45 mm in length) on this drawing represents a length of 10 μm.

e-q2

Which of the following correctly represents the magnification of the electron micrograph?

  • x45000

  • x4.5

  • x4500

  • x450

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

31 mark

Paramecium is a genus of unicellular eukaryotic organisms which carry out several functions in order to stay alive. The table below lists four of these functions and descriptions on how Paramecium carry them out. 

Which of the following rows correctly describes the processes of the Paramecium?

  Metabolism Reproduction Response Nutrition
A. Carry out photosynthesis in their chloroplasts Commonly asexual Beating cilia moves them through water in response to external stimuli Get their nutrition from the products of photosynthesis
B. Reactions such as respiration take place in the cytoplasm Commonly asexual Beating cilia moves them through water in response to external stimuli Take in nutrients via their oral groove which they digest using enzymes
C. Carry out photosynthesis in their chloroplasts Mostly sexual Beating 'tail' called a flagellum moves them through water in response to external stimuli Get their nutrition from the products of photosynthesis
D. Reactions such as respiration take place in the cytoplasm Mostly sexual Beating 'tail' called a flagellum moves them through water in response to external stimuli Take in nutrients via their oral groove which they digest using enzymes

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    4
    Sme Calculator    1 mark

    The cube below has sides that measure 2 cm in length. e-q4

    Which of the following represents the correct surface area : volume ratio of this cube?

    • 1:1

    • 6:1

    • 3:1

    • 2:1

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    51 mark

    Which changes can occur when a cell differentiates from a stem cell into a specialised cell?

       I. The shape of the cell can change

       II. The number and type of proteins in the cell changes

       III. Enzymes cut out the DNA that is no longer needed 

    • I. and II.

    • II. and III. 

    • I. and III.

    • All of the options

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    11 mark

    A prokaryotic cell has a diameter of 1 µm. The cell is magnified 50 000 times by an electron microscope.

    In the electron micrograph that is produced by the electron microscope, what is the diameter of the prokaryotic cell?

    • 5 x 100 mm

    • 5 x 10-1 mm

    • 5 x 102 mm

    • 5 x 101 mm

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    21 mark

    The electron micrograph shows the organelles in a leaf cell. A student uses their ruler to measure the length of the scale bar, which they find to be 1.5 cm.q1-1-1-cells-theory-medium-ib-hl-biology

    What is the magnification?

    • ✕ 7 000

    • ✕ 7.5

    • ✕  3 000

    • ✕ 300

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    31 mark

    The electron micrograph below shows a root vascular system. The magnification of the image is ✕ 200. A student uses a ruler to measure distance X and finds it to be 10 mm.q2-1-1-cells-theory-medium-ib-hl-biology

    What is the diameter of the cell labelled Y?

    • 100 µm

    • 50 µm

    • 10 µm

    • 5 µm

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    41 mark

    The electron micrograph of the plant cell has a 2 cm scale line labelled 5 µm.q4-1-1-cells-theory-medium-ib-hl-biology

    What is the magnification?

    • ✕ 5 000

    • ✕ 4 000

    • ✕ 2 000

    • ✕ 1 000  

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    51 mark

    Erythrocytes (red blood cells) have a diameter of 7 000 nm. Pancreatic cells have a diameter of 35 µm.

    Which of these statements is correct about the relative sizes of these cells?

    • The erythrocytes are 5 times smaller.

    • The erythrocytes are 50 times smaller.

    • The erythrocytes are 5 times larger.

    • The erythrocytes are 50 times larger.

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    61 mark

    Which of the following ideas are part of cell theory?

    1. Cells are the smallest unit of life.
    2. Cells show great variety in shape and structure.
    3. Cells are derived from other cells (pre-existing cells) by division.

    • I only

    • II only

    • I and III only

    • II and III only

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    71 mark

    Which property of stem cells makes them suitable for therapeutic uses?

    • They can differentiate into specialised cells.

    • They can produce chemicals that destroy viruses.

    • They can form gametes when they divide by mitosis.

    • They have chromosomes that are suitable for gene transfer.

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    81 mark

    A Paramecium is shown in the image below.q8-1-1-cells-theory-medium-ib-hl-biology

    Which functions are structures J and K responsible for carrying out in Paramecium?

      J K
    A Respiration Movement
    B Feeding Movement
    C Excretion Respiration
    D DNA replication Digestion

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      91 mark

      What happens to the surface area:volume ratio of a cell as the cell grows and increases in size?

      • It does not change.

      • It increases.

      • It decreases.

      • It doubles as the cell doubles in size.

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      101 mark

      Which of the following statements relate to Stargardt’s disease?

      1. There is neuron death in the part of the midbrain that controls subconscious muscle activities.
      2. There is a mutation in a gene for active transport in photoreceptor cells.
      3. ꞵ-cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the body’s immune system.
      4. There is a breakdown of light-sensitive cells in the retina.

      • I only

      • I and II only

      • II and III only

      • II and IV only

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      1
      Sme Calculator      1 mark

      A stage micrometer with small divisions of 0.1 mm was used to calibrate a graticule. This is shown in the diagram below.

      h-q1

       

      A slide of a plant cell was placed on the stage in place of the stage micrometer. 

      What is the width of one of the chloroplasts below?

      plant-cell-with-graticule

      • 100 µm

      • 50 µm

      • 10 µm

      • 0.5 mm

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      21 mark

      Current research is making great advances in the therapeutic use of stem cells.
      Embryonic stem cells are delivering promising results in treating diseases such as Stargardt’s disease due to their unique characteristics.

      Which of the following characteristics would not apply to embryonic stem cells?

      • They have the potential to develop into any type of tissue if taken within the first few days after fertilisation

      • There are methods that can be used to make the embryonic stem cells develop into specialised cells needed to treat specific diseases

      • A small number of stem cells remain in many tissues of the body, such as bone marrow, skin and the liver to replace damaged or dead cells

      • The stem cells can divide an unlimited number of times to produce a large number of cells that can become specialised

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      31 mark

      There are many ethical objections to the use of stem cells in medical research. 

      Some of the objections are as follows:

      1. These cells have a higher risk of developing into tumours
      2. They need to be a close match in terms of blood type and other body antigens or there is a chance that the cells used will be rejected by the patient's immune system
      3. The cells are multipotent and therefore have a limited capacity to differentiate into different cell types
      4. Difficult to obtain as there are a small number of them and so they can be painful to extract
      5. The destruction of these cells can be viewed as being equivalent to ending a life

      Which of the objections only apply to stem cells taken from embryos? 

      • I. and V. 

      • I., II. and III.

      • I. and IV. 

      • I., IV. and V.

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      41 mark

      The cells of bacteria are on average 1-5 µm long, whereas human cells are on average 100 µm in diameter. 

      What is the main limiting factor preventing the bacterial cells from growing to the same size as the human cells? 

      • The rate of cell division would be too slow to take advantage of colonising new areas

      • The structure of the cell wall of bacteria limits the size of the cell

      • A larger size would prevent the cells from moving and being pushed by the flagella

      • The rate of diffusion of substances being exchanged across the membrane slows as the cell gets larger

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      51 mark

      The cell theory describes the idea that all living organisms are made of cells that have a particular set of features, such as being surrounded by a cell membrane. 

      The options below describe some atypical examples that don't possess all the features described by the cell theory. 

      Which of the examples below does conform to the cell theory? 

      • Striated muscle fibres possess multiple nuclei and can grow up to 300 mm in length.

      • Skin cells replicate so quickly that our full body of skin cells die and are regenerated every 27 days

      • Aseptate fungal hypae do not possess septa (end walls between the cell) meaning that the cells are multinucleated with a shared cytoplasm.

      • Giant algae (Acetabularia) are unicellular but can be up to 100 mm long with just one nucleus and a complex structure.

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?